This invention relates generally to the marking of x-rays, and more particularly to the imprinting of patient identification information onto the small, individual dental x-rays in conjunction with an identification camera.
The conventional techniques of marking larger x-rays utilized in medical diagnosis are not readily adaptable for imprinting patient identification information onto the very small, individual dental x-rays used by dental practitioners for x-raying individual teeth. Thus, should these small unidentified dental x-rays become detached from a patient's file, reconnecting them with the correct patient file may be difficult.
Presently, identification cameras as manufactured by Kodak Corp. and Picker Accessories, Inc. of New York under its catalog No. 390032 (called a "Picker I.D. Camera") are utilized for this purpose. These identification cameras include a light emitting area of a working surface atop which an exposed, but undeveloped, dental x-ray may be placed. After a thin paper card is placed beneath the x-ray having indicia printed thereon, the practitioner must then manually align the written indicia on the card with a portion of the x-ray onto which he wishes the indicia imprinted. This entire arrangement must be manually aligned and arranged over the light emitting area of the working surface, after which a cover is pivotally closed into place over the working surface and these materials, after which the light source is momentarily activated.
In most instances, the indicia is not properly imprinted onto the dental x-ray and, in some cases, the entire x-ray may be rendered useless due to the misalignment of the indicia imprinted over the critical x-ray portion. Further, the error may not be discovered until after the patient has left the office, causing further complications if the x-ray is rendered unusable at that time.
The present invention provides for a simple and inexpensive addition to an identification camera which may be made removable from, or connected onto, the working surface of these identification cameras. The invention provides for both proper alignment of the dental x-ray in conjunction with a small, elongated aperture beneath which an indicia card, having printed patient identification indicia placed thereon, is positioned over the light emitting region or area of the working surface. Thus, patient identification indicia is accurately and succinctly placed onto each dental x-ray after it has been exposed, but before developing and only in a specified region at one end of each dental x-ray.